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Unit of study_
SCIE4003: Ethics in Science
2025 unit information
In the contemporary world, a wide variety of ethical concerns impinge upon the practice of scientific research. In this unit, you will learn how to identify potential ethical issues within science, acquire the tools necessary to analyse them, and develop the ability to articulate ethically sound insights about how to resolve them. In the first portion of the unit, you will be familiarised with how significant developments in post-World War II science motivated sustained ethical debate among scientists and in society. In the second portion of the unit, you will select from either a Human Ethics module or an Animal Ethics module and learn the requirements of how to ensure your research complies with appropriate national legislation and codes of conduct. By undertaking this unit, you will develop the ability to conduct scientific research in an ethically justifiable way, place scientific developments and their application in a broader social context, and analyse the social implications and ethical issues that may potentially arise in the course of developing scientific knowledge.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | History and Philosophy of Science Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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144 credit points of units of study and including a minimum of 24 credit points at the 3000- or 4000-level and 18 credit points of 3000- or 4000-level units from Science Table A or FMH Table A |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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HSBH3004 or HPSC3107 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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Successful completion of a Science major |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. identify, define, and delimit authentic problems and dilemmas to address them
- LO2. apply ethical principles and sociological analysis to solve problems in an interdisciplinary context
- LO3. create an investigation strategy, explore solutions, discuss approaches, and formulate desirable outcomes
- LO4. access information and analyse data using modern information technology and digital skills
- LO5. demonstrate integrity, confidence, personal resilience, and the capacity to manage challenges, both individually and in teams
- LO6. collaborate with diverse groups and across cultural and disciplinary boundaries to develop solution(s) to ethical dilemmas in science
- LO7. communicate project outcomes effectively to a broad audience
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1a 2024
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Block mode | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney | |
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Semester 2a 2024
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Block mode | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1a 2025
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Block mode | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Semester 2a 2025
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Block mode | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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